DIY Home | Thanksgiving Centerpiece Inspiration

We’ve talked about Thanksgiving decorations before, but we aren’t quite done yet. So you’re hosting a Thanksgiving gathering and have your front door and mantel covered, but what about the main attraction — the dining room table? And what do you do with the overabundance of pumpkins in your possession?! Have no fear! We have plenty of ideas to share for all of the above. So pick up those pumpkins, either from your porch or on clearance at your local grocery store, and get crafty!

Thanksgiving Centerpieces

Consider creating a centerpiece if you’re hosting dinner on Thanksgiving, planning a fall party, or simply want a festive display on your dining room table throughout the season. Whatever the style of your home, there’s bound to be a tabletop theme that catches your eye. Thankfully, many of these don’t require much construction at all — just some gathering and careful placement.

We love the sophisticated look of this Thanksgiving centerpiece layout from Pottery Barn Kids. The use of light and neutral colors makes this a cheery look for your table.

Feeling more ambitious? Make your own wooden box and fill it with your favorite fall items. Better yet, make one now and reuse it for every season! It’s an easy way to consolidate your abundance of decorations into a neat and narrow area. And you can stain or finish the box however you want! We think a distressed white box would look equally as amazing.

Crunched for time? Check out this list of 8 last-minute Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas from Better Homes and Gardens. We couldn’t pick just one to highlight so we figured we’d pass them all your way. We love that they all have a more natural approach to Thanksgiving decor, incorporating materials you can find in your backyard!

After the centerpiece is done, consider creating name plates to complete the look on your dining table. One of our favorites is this DIY Rosemary Sprig Place Card project. It’s absolutely simple to make these place cards and the end result is elegant. Plus, it will make your tabletop look more personalized for your guests!

Repurposed Pumpkins

If you are one of the fortunate few with fully in-tact pumpkins in your possession come November, it feels like a waste to throw them out. So if you never got around to carving the pumpkins on your front porch this Halloween season and want to repurpose them for your Thanksgiving gathering decor, there are several ways you can do that!

One of the most useful ways to repurpose a pumpkin is by turning it into a candle holder! You can sneak some decorative garland around the base of the candle to hide an uneven cut at the top of the pumpkin.

Give into the succulent trend and fill a pumpkin with these hearty plants! This look is both trendy and will make a natural and bright Thanksgiving decoration for your Thanksgiving table. You might even get a little more ambitious by incorporating moss and a glue gun into your design. There’s no right or wrong answer to this “pumpkullent” project.

Along the lines of creating a natural vase, you might also fill a pumpkin with gorgeous roses or mums as a Thanksgiving centerpiece or decoration elsewhere in your home. In fact, the possibilities are endless in this category. Fill a pumpkin with your favorite autumn flowers, and make your project elaborate, simple or somewhere in between!

You could also paint a pumpkin a solid color or write a personalized message on it. We love this neutral color palette, but you could make a bright orange pumpkin fit with whatever colors exist in your space.

This list is incomplete without its counterpart. Make sure you check out our list of ideas for decorating your home for Thanksgiving. By adding these DIY candle holders, wreaths and mantels to complement your tablescape, you’ll be set for the season!